Ukrainians are now playing dangerous games, amid the EU Summit, expanding the scope of the war and bringing it within striking distance of Greece.
For the first time since the outbreak of the war, Ukrainian drones struck a tanker in the Mediterranean Sea, specifically south of Crete. This is a particularly alarming development, as the attack took place outside both Russia and Ukraine, while the location of the strike could potentially pose risks even for Greece.
According to Reuters sources citing Ukraine’s SBU security service, the drones struck the vessel Qendil in waters more than 2,000 kilometers away from Ukraine, causing serious damage.
Putin: We will respond to the Ukrainian attack on the Russian tanker
The incident was also addressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, when asked a related question during the marathon press conference he holds shortly before the end of each year.
As he noted, such attacks will not bring any results and will not disrupt supplies, while he stressed that Russia’s response will be inevitable.
“This is being done, among other things, with the aim of increasing insurance premiums.
This will not bring the expected result, it will not disrupt any supply and will only create an additional threat.
Responses from our side will certainly follow,” the Russian leader said.
The Qendil tanker
Ukraine expands the war, within striking distance of Greece
This is the first confirmed strike between Ukraine and Russia in the Mediterranean, giving the war a new dimension. What is particularly striking is not only the attack itself, but the fact that Ukraine is expanding the war into the Mediterranean, and doing so within striking distance of Greece.
Ukrainian sources claim that the Qendil was a fully legitimate military target, as it was allegedly being used by Russia to bypass international sanctions and transport oil, the revenues from which, they say, were financing the war against Ukraine.
The 800-foot-long vessel, which was not carrying cargo at the time, appeared to be heading toward Russia via the Strait of Gibraltar.
Ukraine has intensified attacks on ships that help Russia bypass sanctions, aiming to deter shipowners from supporting Moscow.
Vessels of the so-called “shadow fleet” collect fuel from Russia and then transfer it to other ships in international waters, which subsequently sell it on open markets.
The SBU announcement
The SBU intelligence service confirmed the strike in a statement, saying that “the SBU, for the first time, struck a tanker of the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea.”
The incident follows an SBU strike on a Russian Kilo-class submarine, as Britain’s MI6 pledged to intensify its support for sabotage operations reminiscent of World War II.
“As a result of multi-stage actions in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the SBU’s ‘Alpha’ unit struck with aerial drones a tanker of the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ of the Russian Federation, named ‘QENDIL’.
At the time of the special operation, the Russian vessel was not carrying any cargo and was empty.
Consequently, this specific attack posed no threat to the environment of the area.”
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών